Sotello: Detective, ex-FBI, ex-Secret Service (DeLeo's Action Thriller Singles Book 1)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  Everyone laughed, knowing what Craig could do to Davidson as he mimicked the Governor in a practice session.

  “I doubt I could face Davidson after that,” Sotello informed him. “Every time I looked at Red, I would see Craig playing him. I would just lose it.”

  The phone rang and Ellen answered it. She laughed, and said yes to the caller, before hanging up. She turned to Sotello then. “That was Craig. He did a drive by, and the protesters have packed up and left. He wanted to know if Zombie Girl was here with us.”

  “Why that no good…” Sykes snarled, as the rest of her cohorts laughed.

  Sotello could see Sykes was pleased Craig had mentioned her. The attempt she made at outrage crumbled, and she started laughing too. After a few moments, they heard the entrance to the back room from the office open.

  “Honey, I’m home,” Craig called out.

  “I’m in here, you pathetic mime,” Sykes answered back. The others turned back to the television as Craig walked into the room.

  Sykes gasped. Her startled intake of air whipped everyone’s attention back to the kitchen doorway. Craig’s mouth hung in a crooked smile. The slight tilt of his head as he walked, coupled with a familiar sway, interspersed with clumsy stumbles, left no doubt who his target was. As with every other subject, Craig had mocked, the startling detail of his performance silenced them all at first.

  Phillips lost his composure first. He was unable to stifle the comparison in his mind from the day before, when he had seen Agent Sykes walk exactly as Craig did now, at Sotello’s barbeque. Soon they were all howling, as Sykes ran at Craig. He expertly sidestepped her, catching her right hand in his left. The quickness of his move caught Sykes by surprise, as she found herself helpless to move in any direction without pain in her hand and arm.

  “I’m sorry Jan,” Craig pleaded. “I couldn’t help myself.”

  “Let me go,” Sykes ordered. “You have pain coming to you.”

  “Promise not to hurt me,” Craig insisted.

  “Never,” Sykes said, shaking her head.

  “You’ll get awfully uncomfortable in this position all night long,” Craig pointed out.

  “You will feel my wrath, young mime,” Sykes said without hesitation. “It’s only a matter of time.”

  “Uh, maybe I can broker a cease fire here.” Sotello laughed, as he walked over to the two. “If Craig promises not to do this ever again Jan, will you promise not to seek retribution?”

  “What’s in it for me?” Sykes asked, peering back at Sotello. “I’m the injured party here.”

  “There will not be any need for Craig to hear what we discussed just before the meeting with the protesters,” Sotello offered.

  “You wouldn’t,” Sykes said.

  “He is my son, Agent Sykes,” Sotello reasoned.

  “Very well,” Sykes relented. “I will not bust you up for this, but woe to you if I see this act ever again.”

  Craig released Sykes instantly, putting his arm comfortingly around her shoulders. “Thanks Jan. Now what was my Dad talking about?”

  “Never mind, you arrogant toad,” Sykes said, folding her hands over her chest, but not moving out of his embrace.

  “Dad?” Craig said questioningly to his Father.

  “A deal is a deal, Number One,” Sotello reminded him. “Now, is the entertainment over? I have a lot to do before El’s class tomorrow morning.”

  Craig nodded, guiding Sykes over to the table, and pulling out her chair for her. He began messaging her neck and shoulders after she relented and sat down. They continued watching the television coverage of Sotello’s performance on the street outside the office, and the run in with Governor Davidson earlier in the day. The coverage of the incident in front of the office building came complete with an interpretation of his words in Spanish to the crowd. As had happened before, Sotello’s face-to-face style won points with all of the people in the man on the street interviews.

  “You are the man,” Craig said, after they turned off the television. “You must have a death wish though, wading into a hostile crowd like that. You should have stopped him Jan.”

  Sykes twisted her head to look up at Craig with blatant disdain. “I’m sorry, did someone tell you I was your Father’s babysitter? Besides, your Father has seen the error of his ways. Keep massaging toad.”

  “I will not do it again, Craig,” Sotello agreed. “It was stupid. Ellen and Jan have made me see the light.”

  “Good,” Craig said, resuming his massage of Sykes’ shoulders. “Sorry about the arrogant presumption Jan. Anyway, I should talk. I can’t get him to do anything either.”

  “Forget it kid, mimes are known for their innocent ignorance.” Everyone laughed, and Phillips stood up to leave.

  “I have to stop by campaign headquarters, and then hit the road for home,” he said. “Can I tell them you’ll be by to see them tomorrow Jim?”

  “Sure,” Sotello said. “We’ll go over right after Ellen’s class. Don’t give them a time frame though. I know we can trust our workers there, but we don’t know about everyone they might mention it to. You’ll call me if you get details from Denton or Stevens, when they call you with what the Governor sets up for our impromptu debate, right?”

  “The second I get the word, so will you,” Phillips replied. “Want to meet for breakfast here tomorrow morning at seven, so we can cover a few obvious points Davidson might go strong at you with?”

  “Sounds good,” Sotello replied. “Of course it depends on if I can get Sykes here to stay sober tonight. Getting her moving this morn…” Sotello paused as the laughter began, and a resigned Sykes let her forehead drop to the tabletop.

  “Go ahead,” Sykes groaned. “I am never going to live it down. Have your inconsiderate fun at my expense. Zombie Girl can take it.”

  Phillips walked out laughing, as Ellen switched on the new camera feeds, which monitored the sidewalk area, and a large part of the street in front of the business.

  “It’s clear Mr. Phillips,” Ellen called out after him.

  “Thanks Ellen,” Phillips called back over his shoulder. “I almost forgot where I was for a moment there.”

  They all watched Phillips’ progress to his car across the street. After he drove away, Ellen switched off the extra view cameras. “I’m going to check in with my security guy, and then head for home Dad. I guess I’ll see you here for breakfast in the morning. Will we be going over together?”

  “Is that your only class tomorrow?”

  “In the morning it is,” Ellen replied. “I’ll just leave my car here. I’ve been getting a lot done here in the office anyway in between classes.”

  “I noticed you helped out on two more locating cases,” Sotello said. “Nice work.”

  “Frat boy helped me on one,” Ellen added. “He just needed to check an address.”

  “I did my floral delivery routine, and confirmed our missing person was there,” Craig said, chuckling at Ellen’s frat boy reference. “Ellen did all the traces on the computer.”

  “That’s what it’s all about though,” Sotello said. “Even in the midst of all this crap, you two have been keeping things running on the business end. It’s a good thing our stop by business has never been much, because between protesters and reporters, we would be dead in the water.”

  “I keep forgetting you all do detective work right out of here,” Sykes said, as Craig took a seat next to her, and Ellen picked up the phone to call the number of the man Sanders had watching out for her. “It is a nice setup.”

  “Once we really get the escort deal ironed out, we will really be flying high,” Craig replied. “Those folks pay us well, and we get to do everything in style. It’s like getting paid for a passionate hobby.”

  “As long as you don’t run into guys with guns and explosives,” Sykes pointed out.

  “Yea,” Craig admitted. “It only takes one of those to ruin your whole day.”

  Ellen hugged Sotello, and gave Craig a wave. “I�
��ll see you all tomorrow morning. You want to do the honors Craig?”

  “I’ll just walk you out Sis,” Craig said, getting up. “I want to check out the condition of the gnome mobile before I let Dad drive me home.”

  “You will insult my chariot once too often, ungrateful one,” Sotello retorted. He waved at Ellen. “Bye Honey, see you tomorrow.”

  Sotello stood up and switched on the cameras, and then signaled all clear to Ellen and Craig. He watched them walk down the block, using the monitoring camera he had installed on the top of his building, after the attack on his house. When Craig returned as far as the front door, and Ellen had driven away, Sotello sat back down.

  “This constant hassle will take its toll on you Jim, if things don’t settle down after the election,” Sykes said gently.

  “You are so right about that,” Sotello admitted, passing his hands nervously through his hair. He leaned back with his hands clasped behind his head. “It will get awfully old to the kids. None of us foresaw any of this. We all figured a brick through the window would be the worst.”

  Craig walked into the backroom, smiling hugely. “I… hey, who died?”

  “We were just wondering how long we will have to make like we are in the middle of Beirut, instead of Oakland, CA,” Sotello said tiredly.

  “Hey,” Craig replied. “El and I can handle it. We’re already used to most of the precautions. As you have so eloquently put it to your audiences: we are at war. Why should we be able to strut around like we don’t have a care in the world? Besides, if not for your run for the governorship, and subsequent danger, I would never have met Zombie Girl.”

  “Thanks a lot,” Sykes laughed. “Leave it to you to see the up side of my personal humiliation.”

  “Let’s take my Dad out to dinner tonight,” Craig offered. “He hardly had time to even talk yesterday. You like Long Island Iced Teas, Dad. Let me drive the Al Bundy Mobile, and you can throw down a couple. Zombie and I will watch out for you, right Zee?”

  “Maybe I want to try a Long Island Ice Tea,” Sykes said. “Those sound pretty tame.”

  Sotello and Craig both laughed at Sykes’ straight line. She held her quizzical look as long as she could before busting up too. Craig was the first to speak.

  “I would take over the bodyguard role by myself tonight, but for two things: two nights in a row putting your unconscious butt into bed, and secondly, I like the nickname Zombie Girl better than Long Tea.”

  “Well, that settles it then, Number One,” Sotello agreed, while his two younger companions laughed. “I will have a couple of before dinner cocktails to try and lose this too somber mood. We have to get in early though, because we have Ellen’s class in the morning. Will you be watching the office tomorrow?”

  “Yep, no class tomorrow, so I have the duty,” Craig confirmed. “I can use the study time anyway. Let’s get going. I’m starving. Want to go to The Black Angus? That way we can either get meat or fish.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Sotello agreed. “They make great Long Island Iced Teas too.”

  “We won’t have to carry you out to the car, will we?” Sykes asked in mock seriousness.

  “No Zee,” Craig cut in quickly. “Dad has more self control than you do.”

  Sotello leaped up in between the two of them, before Sykes could renew her earlier attack. “Come on now children. Let’s go get dinner.”

  __

  Sotello felt something wet and cold jam into his side. He leaped out of a sound sleep to see Tinker with her head half under his bed covers. Sotello had sealed up the dog door as an added precaution.

  “Geez Tinker,” Sotello said roughing her head up. “When you have to go out, jump on me or something. Don’t stick that black ice cycle you call a nose into my side.”

  Sotello eased out of bed around the dog, and put on his robe. Tinker led the way out of the bedroom, and down the stairwell. The two of them encountered a bare-chested Craig, leaving Sykes’ bedroom in stealth mode. Tinker ran right up to the unsuspecting, out of place visitor, and stuck her cold nose into his bare thigh as he tried to ease out of the room quietly. This initiated an unfortunate chain of events for Craig.

  He gasped in shock, and spun around so quickly, he smacked the back of his head on the doorframe. Craig went down on one knee, holding the back of his head with both hands, trying to suppress the pain. He could see through watery eyes what had instigated his painful calamity. Sotello was sitting on the steps already, howling in laughter.

  Suddenly, the bedroom door was yanked open, smacking Craig’s bare right foot. Craig fell flat on his face in misery. Sykes, weapon in hand, and dressed only in a thong, tripped over her nocturnal companion, almost discharging a round into the floor. Tinker quickly turned her attention to licking Sykes’ face as Sykes tried to untangle herself from Craig. Sotello had collapsed by now in hysterics, and was rolling helplessly on the floor.

  “Oh my God,” Sotello howled. “No more… no more. Don… Don’t move. I can’t breathe.”

  Sotello went into another spasm as Sykes scrambled to her feet, trying to cover herself, and retreat back into her room at the same time. Craig had rolled up into a sitting position, now ignoring the throbbing pain in his head for the more recent one in his right foot. He clamped on the offended appendage with both hands, trying to pull his face away from Tinker’s licking tongue at the same time.

  Sotello finally regained enough composure to get to his feet, and let Tinker out the back door, all the while laughing uproariously every ten seconds or so. After letting Tinker back into the house, Sotello came over, and knelt down next to Craig; who was massaging his right foot with his left hand, and the back of his head with his right. Craig looked up sheepishly into Sotello’s face, which provoked another bout of laughter from his dispassionate Father.

  Sotello felt the back of his son’s head gingerly, and when he did not feel any blood, he sat again at the base of the stairs. Tinker joined him, putting her snout across his lap. “Thank you Number One, I needed that.”

  “So happy you enjoyed the show,” Craig replied, as a now robed Sykes came out of the bedroom. She gave Sotello a little wave, which sent him into another laughing fit. Sykes knelt down, and put her arm around Craig in commiseration.

  “We have inadvertently given the Ancient One here quite a laugh, Zee,” Craig told her.

  “Can you get up?” Sykes asked, smiling.

  “I think so,” Craig allowed. “Just give me another minute to rub my broken foot.”

  “I thought we were under attack,” Sykes said, setting off Sotello once again.

  “We were,” Craig sighed, arching his thumb back at his Father and Tinker, “by Governor Moonbeam, and his hound from hell.”

  Sykes laughed, and in spite of the pain, Craig joined her. He leaned to his left, and pushed himself up to his feet, gingerly favoring his right, until he could assess the damage. Sykes pulled his right arm around her shoulder to steady him, as he carefully tried taking a few steps.

  “Man,” Sotello exclaimed contentedly. “Now that’s entertainment.”

  __

  The kitchen table hosted a subdued Agent Sykes, and paramour Craig, listening to helpless bursts of inadvertent laughter from Sotello. He and Tinker had already completed a run at five AM. Sotello’s watchdogs from the press had disappeared from in front of his house, having fled to Sacramento to prepare for the debate scheduled to take place. The police presence, having been reduced to frequent drive-bys at Sotello’s request, had already stopped in to say hi, and get a quick cup of coffee. Sotello had sent them on their way with the box of donuts earmarked for the missing Press detachment.

  Craig had appeared next, just before six AM, none the worse for wear, considering his nighttime escapade. Sotello had checked his head, after the initial laughter at Craig’s expense, Sotello could not hold back. Sykes appeared a few minutes later, dressed in a black skirt and white blouse.

  Her blonde hair, drawn back tightly with a clasp at the ba
ck of her head, highlighted her light application of red lipstick, and eyeliner. She smiled at Sotello, but blushed and looked away, as he waved at her as she had done to him the night before. She made herself a cup of coffee, and sat down next to Craig, who had avoided her eyes. He reached over without looking up, and put his right hand on her left. She covered it with her right.

  “Morning Zee,” Craig said softly, looking over at her for the first time.

  “Mime,” Sykes acknowledged with a smile. “I see your Dad has never heard of the phrase ‘move on’.”

  Sotello laughed good-naturedly, nodding. “No, my dear, and apparently my definition of discretion has become out dated too.”

  “I…” Craig began.

  “Never mind, Number One,” Sotello cut in. “It will mean absolutely nothing as far as my campaign, and it will not mean much afterwards. You two could attract some awfully bad mannered comments if you decide to get very public with this before the election. I doubt either of you will want to end up on the front page of every rag in California, but I will leave that to you. Above all, don’t worry about the effect it would have on me. After the election, no one would care one way or another.”

  “We should have waited,” Sykes agreed, squeezing Craig’s hand affectionately. “I would be reassigned in an instant if Hank finds out about this.”

  “He won’t find out from me,” Sotello assured her.

  Chapter 43

  Class In Session

  Silence reigned for a short time, until Sotello stood up and made another cup of coffee. He suddenly lost it again, and the couple at the table saw his shoulders shaking, as he could no longer keep his laughter silent. Craig sighed, knowing his Father had a long memory, and would be laughing at inappropriate times for months to come over the incident. Sykes giggled, and leaned over to kiss Craig softly on the mouth. Sotello turned back after a few moments, and sat down with his coffee. So the trio remained, with Sotello’s occasional outburst, until the doorbell rang at a quarter to seven.

  They had all heard the motion detector go off, but Tinker had simply walked over to sniff the door, so Sotello was not worried about who had arrived at the door this morning. He still walked over and checked the screen before answering. Adrian Phillips stood quietly on the doorstep, smiling into the camera. Craig and Sykes had gotten up and washed out the dishes on the table. They were putting on their coats as Sotello signaled okay, and opened the door.